1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a labeling system for marking and redistributing defective semiconductor devices (or chips). More specifically, the present invention provides a system for labeling defective semiconductor chips by carving or etching a symbol or code on the top surface of the defective chip and these labeled chips can then be offered for sale at a reduced price for secondary applications.
2. Related Art
Generally, in the semiconductor chip industry, manufactured chips are put through a quality control process. Defective chips are identified and generally discarded. This is the case despite the fact that a defective chip may have limited use for applications other than the intended application, e.g. in simple electronic devices or in applications downgraded from the original purpose of the chips. Presently, some manufacturers label defective chips with print marking. However, such markings can be erased (intentionally or unintentionally), removed or otherwise obliterated and the chip can then be sold as a regular (non-defective) chip at full price. If this occurs, a chip manufacturer's reputation could be tarnished. Accordingly, such a chip manufacturer would prefer to discard the defective chips to avoid the danger of future sales of the defective chips as regular chips.
Accordingly, what is needed, and has not heretofore been developed, is a method for permanently labeling defective chips so that such defective chips can be sold for use in simple electronic devices, or for downgraded applications, for which such chips are fit to use, but which prevents such defective chips from being sold as regular (non-defective) chips.